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That was awesome to hear. It was obviously her first massive 'reinvention" so to speak that I have always been in awe of because it was a huge gamble but I didn't know her record company was scared shitless. Lol. And we got a timeless classic.

If you don't mind I did a mini write up about Live to Tell a few years ago so to me this behind the scenes story takes it to another whole level.

"Live to Tell. The moment in Madonna's career when she went from being a "Pop tart" to creating "Pop art". When she first started she was being written off as a "disco dolly" and a "flash in the pan". One critic even said she sounded like "Minnie Mouse on helium". Yes for her first two albums we were given songs that would go on to become dance pop classics. Songs like Lucky Star, Borderline, Holiday, Like a Virgin, Material Girl, Dress You Up, and Into the Groove.

But still, many didn't take her seriously. She was simply a dance act with an interesting style, and a few catchy tunes. A dance act that would surly enter the realm of "has been land" soon enough right? That all changed when she released Live to Tell. The first major "reinvention" of her career.

Gone were the jelly bracelets, the fishnets, the leggings, the crimped messy 80s hair, the boy toy belts, the lace gloves. A style that inspired a generation of girls to want to dress just like her. Usually the public decides when a fad is over, but this time it was Madonna herself telling her fan base that I am moving on and growing as an artist. Take it or leave it.

To showcase this more adult look required a more adult sound, and it was given to us in the form of Live to Tell. One of the most haunting pop ballads ever made. The risk of alienating her legions of Madonna "wannabes" as they were called paid off, as the song and the album to follow, True Blue catapulted her from superstar status, to MEGA star icon status. Live to Tell went to #1 where it belonged, and expanded her fan base from tween and teen girls to a more older and mature crowd.

This was Madonna showing the world that she was in this business for the long haul. This was Madonna showing the world that there was much more depth, emotion, and artistry to her than just being a chick who sang catchy dance tunes.

This was Madonna demanding that people begin to take her seriously. And many sat up, took a second look, and did just that."

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That was awesome to hear. It was obviously her first massive 'reinvention" so to speak that I have always been in awe of because it was a huge gamble but I didn't know her record company was scared shitless. Lol. And we got a timeless classic.

If you don't mind I did a mini write up about Live to Tell a few years ago so to me this behind the scenes story takes it to another whole level.

"Live to Tell. The moment in Madonna's career when she went from being a "Pop tart" to creating "Pop art". When she first started she was being written off as a "disco dolly" and a "flash in the pan". One critic even said she sounded like "Minnie Mouse on helium". Yes for her first two albums we were given songs that would go on to become dance pop classics. Songs like Lucky Star, Borderline, Holiday, Like a Virgin, Material Girl, Dress You Up, and Into the Groove.

But still, many didn't take her seriously. She was simply a dance act with an interesting style, and a few catchy tunes. A dance act that would surly enter the realm of "has been land" soon enough right? That all changed when she released Live to Tell. The first major "reinvention" of her career.

Gone were the jelly bracelets, the fishnets, the leggings, the crimped messy 80s hair, the boy toy belts, the lace gloves. A style that inspired a generation of girls to want to dress just like her. Usually the public decides when a fad is over, but this time it was Madonna herself telling her fan base that I am moving on and growing as an artist. Take it or leave it.

To showcase this more adult look required a more adult sound, and it was given to us in the form of Live to Tell. One of the most haunting pop ballads ever made. The risk of alienating her legions of Madonna "wannabes" as they were called paid off, as the song and the album to follow, True Blue catapulted her from superstar status, to MEGA star icon status. Live to Tell went to #1 where it belonged, and expanded her fan base from tween and teen girls to a more older and mature crowd.

This was Madonna showing the world that she was in this business for the long haul. This was Madonna showing the world that there was much more depth, emotion, and artistry to her than just being a chick who sang catchy dance tunes.

This was Madonna demanding that people begin to take her seriously. And many sat up, took a second look, and did just that."

I absolutely agree with the notion that Live To Tell is her first big reinvention. Her look and sound changed dramatically and it really was a big blow for the wannabes. BUT by then people were already under her spell. Power of Madonna. It's easy judging from retrospect, but seriously it just could not go wrong! She was just to mesmerizing.

I always considered this picture from that time to be a message to her wannabe fans.' I changed my mind, Good luck'.

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The nuclear explosion in my head when I heard the song for the first time, and my heart melting when I saw the video

I've always wondered what it felt like to hear it for the first time. I was too young in '86 to really be aware of M and LTT was always just one of her ballads to me until I got older.

This has me thinking about all the times M dropped a new single and it made our minds explode: LTT, LAP, JML, Frozen, Music, and to a lesser extent Vogue, Secret, and Hung Up. I really miss the days when she would release a new song and it was unlike anything she'd ever done before (or in some cases anything anyone had ever done before).

I've always wondered what it felt like to hear it for the first time. I was too young in '86 to really be aware of M and LTT was always just one of her ballads to me until I got older.

I was 17 so you can imagine how that music made me feel, I know that you can deeply enjoy and love Madonna at any age, but being immerse by her during your teen years is an out of this world experience.

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Live To Tell is such an important song in her discography. A timeless classic and one of the most beautiful ballads ever.

I wonder why the record company agreed to release it as the first single when they thought it would be over?! Or maybe they were just like "oh well, let's release it as this soundtrack single and then she's going to smash with Papa Don't Preach anyway".

It makes me happy to see that he still has such fond and detailed memories about it. I wish Madonna would talk about the creation of her songs more often...

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but being immerse by her during your teen years is an out of this world experience.

same goes for a young adult....Live To Tell was released just a couple of weeks before my 23rd Birthday. I had been along for the ride for 3 1/2 years up to that point....But the TB album truly cemented my adoration for her! It is also when I first started following her discography status extensively on all the charts. I watched every one of her singles ascend the Billboard charts weekly

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I remember hearing the song as child from the movie At Close Range and being mesmerized by the song before I really even knew who Madonna was. It was years later I was blown away to know that she sang it!

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I think I would pay $500 per hour just to sit in a theater and hear Madonna and Pat talk about the songs they wrote. I love it.

Also, as others said above, this really was her moment to pivot into something with true depth. No longer just a disco tart or pop princess. Although few realized it at the time, "Live to Tell" was the transcendence into pop artist. It was solidified with Like A Prayer for sure, but this was the first sign that there was more to this woman than meets the ear.

I really hope they are working together again. I trust her instincts, but seriously, even she must recognize there is some magic between her and Pat which isn't present anywhere else in her catalog. Time is short. How many albums remain? Please spin us some true gold, your highness.

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Terri Nunn the singer from the 80"s band Berlin said when covering the song for a tribute album that until Live to tell she didn't care about Madonna but when she first heatd the song she was driving her car and had to stop because she was overtaken by emotions.

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Terri Nunn the singer from the 80"s band Berlin said when covering the song for a tribute album that until Live to tell she didn't care about Madonna but when she first heatd the song she was driving her car and had to stop because she was overtaken by emotions.